Tokka: Sword in the Forest
by Present Prince
Summary: Several years after the war Toph and Sokka embark on a search to recover the Meteor Sword from days of old. Hidden feelings become hard to hide in the days spent together. Not all is well, however, for fidelity comes before feelings. - This story is greatly Tokka but it respects Suki, who is not demonized or killed. As well as Princess Yue, who Sokka has not forgotten.
1. No Means Yes

**Chapter 1- No means Yes**

"No." The response was short and blunt, unsurprising for the mouth which had spat it out. Toph Beifong had been anticipating this conversation for weeks now. Not long ago she had received a letter from her best friend, Sokka, which had detailed his plan for a "vacation". It had been several years since the Great War had ended. Although everyone had set out to solve the aftermath of problems in their own ways, the gang had found themselves back at each others' side often as conflicts arose.

"What!? How can you say that? After all the traveling I've done to get here… You know getting around isn't half as easy when you don't have a giant flying pillow to carry you everywhere!" Sokka reasoned as they both walked to Toph's residence from her metalbending academy. To Sokka's puzzlement Toph had chosen to take a rather long and scenic route, apparently to get away from all the villagers and students who would follow the two heroes. She had even summoned a rather large stone wall to discourage local onlookers from pursuit.

"I figure you still have it easier than most in one of those flying machines." Toph responded curtly. A bit of shock came over Sokka's face.

"How did you- Ooow!" Sokka yelped as Toph punched him in the arm.

"Those still aren't a common sight you know, especially when a certain war hero pilots one and makes a flashy entrance in town." Toph interjected.

"I was informed by a student who happened to beat your parade here."

The Water tribesman looked down with a bit of embarrassment at missing the obvious before propping his head back up for another round of verbal sparring.

"Alright you got me there, but that still doesn't explain why you're suddenly against the trip."

Toph smirked and responded, "Suddenly? I don't remember ever saying yes."

Sokka furrowed his brow, "Well you never said no either!"

Stroking his chin and closing his eyes he continued in a sagely tone. "It's why I even ordered Hawky to stay with you so I could have your response faster. In fact I was quite worried something had happened to you when I didn't receive a response." Looking at her with one inquisitive eye he pressed on. "You've never been against traveling before, why now are you against this vacation?"

"That's another thing," Toph asserted while waving a finger as-a-matter-of-factly. "How exactly is going on a wild lion-goose chase to find your special little boy sword a "vacation"?"

"Hey, for one it's not "my special little boy sword"," Sokka responded defensively. "If you'll remember that sword was made from a metal that fell from space! One that landed not far from us and conveniently around the time I received training from the greatest swordsman on the planet! The sword is far from some nostalgic toy and more along the lines of an artifact of destiny central to my, nay, team Avatar's legacy! It would be a shame to let it be forgotten, the only trace of it being my testimony and that chunk I gave to you. If you still have it, that is."

"My bracelet..." Toph monologue to herself.

"What?" Sokka asked.

"Um, yea! I usually keep it in the form of bracelet. I'm sure it's around somewhere…"

She still remembered when Sokka had given the hunk of meteor to her after forging his sword. It went without saying that it was the most interesting material she had ever encountered. It was something she could always keep with her, and in its infinite malleability was something that had proven its usefulness over the years. It was something she could fiddle with when she was bored and something she could touch to remind her of the good times, or at least the interesting times. A gift from a friend, a good friend, the best friend; a friend she loved more than most, more than anybody.

With minute effort she made her bracelet slither from its hiding place near the top of her left arm into her hand. She clutched it and began to blush. Within a fraction of a second she snapped herself out of such reminisce. Embarrassed, she quickly returned the metal to its former shape and position and picked up her pace to make sure Sokka couldn't see her red cheeks. Sokka wasn't finished, however.

"Besides, I would think a rough and dirty adventure is more along the lines of a vacation you would enjoy, at least in comparison to simply being pampered in a spa or listening to some opera."

"Well that's awfully presumptuous of you Snoozles," She chided playfully. "Especially when the alternative is for me to act as some human divining rod in a place that could take a lifetime to search."

"Ah ha! I know from experience that you can detect metals from quite a distance. Like when you found the Fire Lord's underground bunker. And for your information we're hardly going into this search blind, no offensive of course."

Striding up to Toph he continued in a voice of hopeful enthusiasm. "Scouring the reports from all the Fire Nation airships and their crewmembers I've been able to narrow down what sections of the Wulong Forest are most likely to contain the sword."

Toph smirked and replied, "**Most likely **being key words. I think this is still a rather selfish "vacation". I have responsibilities here you know. As master I can't just leave my metalbending academy whenever adventure calls. And where is Aang and Katara, or Suki for that matter?"

"Hey! The reports are conflicting and I was kind of focused on saving **your** life at the moment I lost it, thank you very much! As for the others, well Aang is the Avatar and so is busy with important business, really important business as a matter of fact. I was actually hoping to talk to you about it on the trip. It goes without saying that Katara is with him. As for Suki…"

Sokka began to tilt his head and his face changed to an expression of contemplative stress. Even though she could not see his face, by his hesitation and the change in his heart rate, Toph could tell this was a topic of pain for him.

"The Kyoshi warriors are still guards to Zuko after that assassination attempt, so she is still probably following him around from the Fire Nation. I haven't seen or heard from her in quite awhile. All the messages I send go unanswered. Maybe she is sworn to secrecy or something but it makes me wonder if we're…"

There was an awkward silence between the two. Toph didn't know how to respond. Hearing how melancholy Sokka was over this ensnared her empathy. Yet there was another feeling, one of excitement over the potential opening in Sokka's heart for her. Yet again there was a feeling of guilt for wanting to steal him away from a person that also loved him.

_Well, perhaps in the same way, but not nearly as much as she should, or else she would be with him now and not in the Fire Nation. _

At leastthat's what Toph told herself. They were both thankful that they now neared Toph's dwelling. A few people we're waiting outside, some from town and some from Toph's metalbending academy.

"Ah! There he is!" Sokka perked up and ran ahead to idling crowd.

He relinquished one of the townsfolk of a cage containing a rather large, furry, frog that possessed two horns, a tail, and what appeared to be a bloated vocal sack.

"What is that suppose to be?" Toph inquired in a somewhat irritated tone.

"It's a bull-frog!" responded Sokka with enthusiasm. Toph didn't appear very amused but he continued.

"I told you I've been preparing for this trip and I am absolutely positive it won't be a waste of your time! For example, this little guy is from the trip I've already made into the forest so we'll know exactly what we're dealing with."

"Alright Snoozles, that makes sense, but why exactly is it **_here_**?"

"Well…um, I thought you would like him you know…as a pet."

Sokka scratched the back of his neck while his eyes wandered to escape the psychic glare he knew Toph was giving him.

"And why exactly would you think that **_Sokka_**?"

"Er, well because you two are so much alike. You're both rough and tough and like…mud and…"

"And what?" Toph prodded in a conversation that had now become an interrogation.

"Well, heh, you see he also possess an ability I thought you might find…endearing."

"And what exactly would that be?" Toph pressed. Though blind she kneeled down to where Sokka was holding the animal. At eye level with the amphibian she inquired.

"Tell me froggy, what is so endearing about you?"

With that the frog expanded its bloated sack as if to croak. Instead of releasing a call, it launched of ball of slim and mud that broke itself against the cage and Toph's face. She was, however, unshaken. With a swift motion of her hand she bent all the mud from her herself and slung it to the ground before standing up.

"I like 'em," She stated.

Sokka's face beamed with excitement. "Does that mean you'll come along? I just can't do this without you! Seriously, it would be nearly impossible do this without your metal finding powers so…"

"I said I liked the frog, I'm still not convinced about this trip."

"Oh come on, Toph! What do I have to do?"

Toph grinned; looking away she tapped a finger against her lips in mischievous thought.

"You could say please while on your knees."

Within a moment Sokka was on his knees. "Please? Please? Please? Please? Pleeease?"

"Well…ok!"

"Wah, really?"

"Ya, really. Just let me pack my things and inform my students."

With that Toph pushed the door to her home open to reveal a pile of luggage at the door. In moments her students had the bags in hand and were carrying them to town and to the airship. Sokka's jaw had dropped and his arms hung lazily as he stared, hunchbacked, at the scene.

"You…"

Toph leaned on the doorway with one hand and smiled coyly. "What's that old saying? Girls got to play hard to get? Though now I need to find someone to take care of that frog…"

They were off by nightfall.


	2. A New Day Dawns

**Chapter 2 – A New Day Dawns**

Toph yawned in her stone tent. The dawn caused the local creatures to stir from their slumbers and begin to make their noise. Dawn meant it was time to get airborne again. Sokka wasn't keen on traveling during the night, saying it would be hard to spot a clear landing spot and he didn't want to risk falling asleep while piloting the airship. From what Sokka had told her, this should be the last day of travel before they reached the forest.

She lifted herself up and with a stomp of her foot sunk the stone slab that acted as the tent's entrance back into the ground. The vibrations she felt revealed that Sokka was already up. Disappointing, she had hoped to harass him by giving an appropriate wake up prank.

Sokka had been un-expectantly serious since they left. Sure they joked and told tales on the way to Wulong Forest, but he had been notably less relaxed. He was stern whenever she asked about the status of their trip and the airship. The former goofball wasn't taking chances while he was the only one of capable piloting the aircraft. Being responsible for her life had brought out the best in him.

_And his life matters a little too._

Toph mused. She made her way over to the airship where Sokka busied himself repacking all the camping equipment.

"I made breakfast; it's in the pan near the airship's furnace. The one that's not empty of course."

"Cool, what's on today's menu?"

"Hard bread and eggs of…whatever lives around here; washed down with some water."

"Eaten' sparse much Snoozles?"

"We'll eat the good stuff when we're on our hopefully short search for the sword. Not much is needed to sit in a flying piece of metal all day. Besides, I'll buy us a feast in celebration for our success."

"And if **you** fail to find the sword?"

"If **we** fail, then it's a night on the town with plenty of alcohol to drown our sorrows in."

The rest of the morning went smoothly. Toph ate while Sokka packed, inspected and re-inspected the ship, and made the final preparations for takeoff. After a required bathroom break, as Sokka still meticulously planned everything, they we're ready.

"First mate Toph, some coal if you please."

"Aye' aye' Captain"

Lounging back, she opened the furnace door with one wave of her hand, lobbed in some coal with a lazy pound of her heel and in a final hand motion closed the door once again. The engine roared, the balloon inflated, and they were off.

Certainly traveling by air was always an interesting experience for Toph. The reality of blindness always took hold when was stuck aboard something relatively small, like this airship, where she felt aloof in a void. A thought crosses her mind, and Toph began to wonder if she ultimately enjoyed the airship more than she did riding on Appa.

Appa was warm and alive and she often had plenty more friends to spend time with. The airship, however, gave her a connection that felt somewhat deeper. In the hours that passed it felt as if her body could become one with the small craft. She felt each part and after awhile longed to bend them just a bit, but was content not to at the risk of killing them both by some totally foreseeable consequence.

For now she entertained herself by levitating and snaking her bracelet back forth, though always out Sokka's sight lest he find out she always had it on her person. It wasn't much of a problem as Sokka spent most of his time peering out from the helm or at the ship's controls, ever vigilant against any problems from within or without.


	3. The Swamp

**Chapter 3 – The Swamp**

"We're here!" Sokka announced. It was now sunset and the airship had just made it over the outstretching of rock columns that marked the beginning of the forest. Toph stirred from her light nap.

"Alright, so what's the plan now?"

"We'll soon see our landing spot; at that point we'll make camp for the night and start the search in the morning."

"So a bit more flying?"

"Just a bit."

"Then why did you wake me up?"

"You'll have plenty of time to sleep when camp is made, which will be soon. In that sense it isn't wise to be sleeping now because you'll just be restless during the night and drowsy during the day."

"Your logic fails to amuse me, Snoozles."

"Let's see how you feel several hours from – Ah! There it is"

The airship crossed a ridge and the flora became noticeably different. Sokka began to lower the airship's altitude. Toph almost immediately noticed the increase of moisture in the air. The ship circled around a tree-less mound that was to be their base camp. The mound connected itself to the upper part of the forest while its base marked the true beginning of the swamp. This wasn't the first time Sokka had been to the site and this was made clear by the overturned boat near the bottom. The landing was followed by a noticeable _"spelk"_ as the ship crushed the small plants underneath it. Within moments Toph had casually lifted herself over the ship's side and unto the ground.

"The ground is a bit moist and squishy for our campsite, don't you think?"

"That's because this is a swamp."

A ting of confusion could be heard in Toph's voice as she asked. "A swamp? I thought you called this place a forest."

"I guess you could say the name Wulong Forest is a bit of a misnomer. The forest's edge is composed of many stone pillars. Through them flow several rivers that eventually form a typical forest as the pillars disappear. Once we reach a certain sea level the rivers start to form a delta that drains into the ocean. This is where the swamp is located and where we are currently at the beginning of."

"Mmmk Snoozles, this will just require a bit of modification."

With that Toph stomped her feet and made upward thrusting motions with her arms. With her earthebending she raised the ground to mimic a deck that stood on the mound's slope, overlooking the water's edge.

"I prefer my camp not to lean."

"Excellent thinking Rocky."

The two began to set up camp on their new, dry, campsite. Toph made quick work of gathering the night's firewood while Sokka did a series of arcane operations on the airship.

"I know it seems like a tough hunk of metal but this swamp could break down its delicate parts fast and then we'd end up walking back."

Sokka decided to hunt for the night's dinner, and by that he meant for Toph to hunt since the sun was already fading. He was able to catch a rabbit that wandered too close to camp, but it was Toph who brought back the feast of frogs whom were unable to escape her mud-bending prowess.

"So what's on tomorrows agenda?" Toph inquired while munching down on her twelfth frog.

"I've divided our search area into four parts. Each should take us no more than day to search. This little hill, being relatively in the middle of it all, makes for a great base of operations. Tomorrow, we'll go ahead and get the wettest part of the search out of the way."

"Is that what the overturned boat near the water is for?"

"You got it."

Toph didn't feel very excited at the prospect of spending more time off the ground. Still, skimming through the low lying water of the swamp was certainly more appealing than the feeling she got when traveling through the void known as the sky. In effort to lighten her mood she changed the subject.

"So what exactly is it that Aang and Katara are doing?"

"Ah yes." Sokka's spine straitened and feeling of ambition could be heard in his voice.

"The Harmony Restoration Project has taken a new turn in its efforts since our last…escapade."

"I would imagine."

"Since the United Republic of Nations was formed from the former Fire Nation colonies, there has been talk of a need for a centralization of its government. To that end an ambitious new project has been proposed. Republic City! Capital of the United Republic of Nations."

"Must have taken an entire week to think of that name." Toph chided.

"Well, naming aside it's still a monumental undertaking. One that our Avatar and Fire Lord friends are taking very seriously; they've even invited yours truly to be a part of it all!"

"Congratulations! Enjoy the thrilling world of city planning."

"I wouldn't be condescending just yet for you see… they would also like me to ask you to join us in the building of this new city!"

To that Toph's face perked up. This wasn't fully unexpected as the thought cropped in the moment she realized most of the gang would be a part of the project. Still, her interest was clearly peaked.

"So what exactly would be my role in building this place?"

"The Fire Nation has had a heavy influence on the initial building plans. Right now you and your students are the world's only metal benders and the city calls for monumental amount of metal. With your help we could cut the time and cost of construction by half!"

"Wait. You literally want me to **build **the buildings in the city? Like a mason or something?"

"Er, well yes, I mean…what else would we have you do?"

Toph was offended but she wasn't exactly sure why. To her, such a job seemed boring and tedious. She was a fighter, a warrior. She had made her name as the Blind Bandit, champion of the Earth Rumble tournaments. She had fought and saved the world in the Great War. She had been teaching her craft to others, but what she had failed to consider, nay, what she had buried in her mind, was the question of what exactly her bending was useful for now that the war was over.

She had taught her skills to others because that was what she felt destined to do. To bend for bending's sake. Those without bending wouldn't understand, but simply going through daily exercises could prove an elating experience. Aang said that the air nomads sought contentment by realizing the oneness with the world around. If this was true, then she felt this oneness when bending. Oneness that came as power radiated from her and to her, in all directions.

The greatest glory, the greatest excitement, was to be had on the field of battle. The rush of adrenaline in the tournament ring could not be contested by the delicate and slow actions of a craftsman. Now, however, the reality of peacetime was upon her.

"I…uh…I don't know. Just the thought of being a glorified house builder seems…"

"Lowly?" Sokka finished.

"I wouldn't use that word exactly." Toph offered in meager defense.

"Because it makes you sound like your highbrow upbringing that you've done your best to reject, but it's essentially what you would be saying regardless."

She felt cornered and under attack. Her friend hadn't said it in a truly accusatory way but she felt she was being judged a hypocrite. If only she could come up with another use for her power.

"It's just that…I feel we could do something else, something that doesn't seem too…boring."

"Like what?"

"I don't know…yet. I would just rather do something that involves my fists and taking down the bad guys."

"You mean like the old days? I'm not sure we'll get much of that, unless you feel like chasing down the local pick pocket!"

Though the comment was made in jest an idea started to form in Toph's mind.

"Hey yea! But not just the pick pockets, but every bully, brigand, and rogue bender we come across!"

"Uh, Toph. What are you talking about?"

"A metalbending police force! Think about it, an elite group of benders who could bring justice to mean streets of Avatar City!"

"Republic City."

"Whatever!"

"Um, Rocky. Don't metalbending police for the theoretical crime problem in a yet un-built city sound a bit…excessive?"

"Mmm, not if consider, er, all the factors!"

"Like…?"

Toph knew it was now time to be clever. It was time to think and talk like Sokka.

"For one, this new nation is supposed to be a melting pot for the all the nations right? So there is bound to be a lot of benders from all over. Unlike every place else in the world, the people here will have to contend with all types of bending on a regular basis. The city is going to need a way to keep all these benders in check. A way that was previously unneeded. And..."

"And...?"

"And being the hub of all nations it's also bound to get a lot of shipping traffic. And where there are ships there are ship rats. Pirates and scoundrels of all colors to drop the metaphor! In a growing, innocent, and vulnerable town like Republic City? It's going to need all the protection it can get!"

In the silence of the first few moments afterwards Sokka's face spoke only of skepticism for the plan and disbelief in his friend's excitement. Slowly his face turned from its former negative demeanor into of coy appreciation for his friend's wit. With a grin across his face he spoke.

"I have to admit, you make a pretty convincing argument. We'll have to discuss it with the others of course, but I think there is merit in your idea."

"They'll agree if they know what's good for them."

"For all our sakes let's hope they do."

It had gotten late and the two went to their separate tents for the night. The Earthbender was almost too excited to sleep. Her imagination stirred with potential adventures she would have laying down the law in Republic City. Perhaps she was a bit restless from all the napping done earlier in the day as well, but just a bit.

It would almost be like old times again. She would be living life to the fullest with Aang and Katara, maybe Zuko here and there. Probably Suki since he'd bring his guards. Then of course there was Sokka, whom she would like very much to be with more often.

Warmth stirred in her once more at the thought and she smiled in the dark. She could imagine them locking arms again as they walked through the blooming city. Every which way Sokka would point his hand and snap his fingers at something; prattling on about the where and why of each building and how it all fit together. The warmth of the sun on their faces as two of the most recognized and respected people in the world paraded through the streets.

Soon, however, seeds of pain started to grow in her heart as pangs of desire and doubt became more evident. It was love un-recognized and unreturned. Perhaps it was her fault for never being forward with her feelings, but for as long as she had known him he had belonged to some distant warrior in makeup. She was jealous, that much she could admit to herself.

It felt so unfair that this woman had taken him before she could even contest for his affection. Though what seemed truly unfair was the fact that she hadn't claimed her prize. It had apparently been years since their last encounter yet Sokka still appeared enthralled by her. The rewards of Sokka's relationship with her only seemed to be pain. Sokka longed for Suki and Toph longed for Sokka, and in her longing she felt shame for her envy.

Toph now scowled into the dark. She tossed in her stone tent and covered her head. The contempt and embarrassment over her selfish feelings flooded in. Suki had saved her and Sokka's life multiple times in the past. She was a kind hearted and trustworthy friend. Conceiving her as some lover stealing hag was unfair and cruel.

Toph was confused; she didn't know what she should be feeling. To think of stealing her friend's lover away, what did that make her? It made her low, lower than the lowest earth worm. It was a good thing she crawled in the dirt, because that was where she belonged. At least that is how she felt. Now, she wanted to sleep.


	4. In A Different Light

**Chapter 4 - In a Different Light**

The orange sun rose again and the night's mist began to clear. Toph was beginning to regret coming on the trip. She didn't want to feel like that ever again. Whatever feelings she had she was determined to bury today, at least until she was back home and away from the man.

The morning proceeded as calmly as could be expected. The morning's fire was lit and food was prepared. For breakfast Sokka broke out some preserved bacon and powdered milk.

"I can't take all the credit for this one of course. It was Teo's dad who came up with the specifics. Now just add some non-swampy water and…"

After breakfast, the time to officially start the search had arrived. The overturned boat Sokka had stashed was no worse for wear beyond of few spiders nesting up inside. The two joked about trying to clean it out with swamp water while loading it with the day's supplies.

The water level wasn't high enough at the bottom of hill, so the rest of the morning was spent mucking through the swamp while towing the boat. The time allowed Toph to get adjusted to sensing the diluted earth in the water and prepare a rather welcome bending technique. Eventually they made it to a more submerged area and heaved themselves into the boat.

"I still don't know Snoozles; I'm usually standing on the ground and touching the particular piece of metal when I bend."

"I don't need you to metalbend the sword. In fact I would rather you not in most circumstances. You just need to be able to sense the sword when we get close. Can you still sense the ground below us?"

"Mmm yea, I guess. It's just all…"

"Foggy?"

"I suppose it's my type of foggy."

"That's good enough for me. The sword should stand out amongst it all, at least I hope so. Besides we're plenty caked in mud already."

"You won't hear me complaining. Good ole' mud shoes kept me safe when stepping through the swamp and now provides excellent protection against annoying insects. In fact if you don't want yours..."

In a wrenching motion with her arms, Toph stripped the mud from Sokka's clothing. With her bending powers she smeared the mud over her exposed limbs and face. She turned to face her friend and cracked a grin.

"Feel better?" Sokka inquired.

"Indeed I do."

"Well I'm still a bit wet."

"I bend the mud, not the water that surrounds it."

"Hey I'm not complaining about a handy cleaning service. Though I'd still rather not have mud tracked in the boat."

"Oh fine you big clean freak."

Toph stood in a y stance and quickly launched every speck of mud on her and inside the boat over its edge. Toph waited for some light jest, but Sokka wasn't saying a word, in fact he hadn't even moved. She did notice, however, that his heart was beating faster.

Sokka gazed upon his best friend glistening in sun's light. Her bending had left a clear coat of water that now glittered in the day's rays.

"Is there a reason for the silent treatment?"

"Er, what? Um! No. It's nothing!"

"I can tell when you're lying remember?"

"It's kind of hard to explain you see. You being blind and all, but water has a way of bringing out another way of looking at a person."

"What?"

"Well water gives things a different quality when shown in the light. It's kind of like putting on makeup. There's a…artistic quality to you. Boy I'm not doing a good job at this."

"So, I look like a piece of art?"

Toph's heart began to speed up as well. Being from a highborn family she had some experience with art. The blind bender wasn't one much for most art obviously, and even the sculptures she had sensed didn't seem all that impressive. Still, people had always given high praise to artists and spoke with admiration about what they made.

"Well in a way, yes, again it's hard to explain. It sounds stupid, but water makes you look at things in a different, pardon the expression, light, and, uh, you look…interesting in it."

She turned her head, the warmness she felt in her cheeks made her certain she was blushing again. Snoozles had an odd way of putting it, and perhaps she was interpreting it wrong anyway, but it sounded like he was saying she was beautiful.

Sokka looked at his friend who had turned her back to him. The feelings inside him had turned to those of dread. How awkward had he just made this trip? Diving out and chewing on the bark of the nearest tree would have produced a more salvageable situation. Still he tried to quickly change the subject.

"Anyway, we should probably focus on searching for the sword now."

Toph continued to stare ahead and responded. "Um, yea, I'll get on it."

With that Sokka pulled out his paddle and began to row as Toph sat and in a state of near meditation, expanded her earthbending senses to search the swamp.


	5. Dinner Time

**Chapter 5 - Dinner Time**

The rest of the day continued without trouble. The earthbender found herself surprisingly busy as the Fire Nation's airship armada had left much debris to be consumed by the swamp. There were moments of excitement when Toph would detect small enough pieces metal obscured by the water and growth of the swamp. Unfortunately they would all turn out to be scrap flung from the wrecks.

Sokka was calm and meticulous in his navigation of the morass, but the day's search did not yield the sword. Eventually they made their way back to their camp on the hill, but not before Toph had displayed yet more of her bending prowess in catching dinner. As low as the water was, it proved relatively easy for her to raise walls of mud and quickly trap her prey within their confines. This dirty but effective technique yielded more than enough food in the form of spike-tailed catfish and spider crabs, although it did track mud in the boat.

"Crabs. Even in death they put up a fight." Sokka griped as he struggled to crack his supper's shell.

"Let this be a lesson to ya'. Always bring your war club to the dinner table." Toph teased as she spat out loose bones from the catfish she was consuming. *_Pfft*_

Fish and crab sat skewered on sticks near the camp fire; the crackling of the flame offsetting the constant calls of the swamp's creatures. Stars shone brightly in the night. Their silver light contested only by the luminescence of fire flies that faded in and out of the dark.

"Who knew these fish had so many bones? Sharp bones. I must have almost cut my tongue a dozen times by now." *_Pfft_*

"I did. I also know that those fish are full of parasites so I hope we cooked them long enough."

*_Pfft*_ "Snoozles, **You** cooked them for so long I'm surprised I'm not just biting into ash." _*Pfft*_

"Well pardon me for being concerned for your health. I would rather come back empty handed than have the sword at the expense of a friend's well being."

"That's, er, a really sappy thing of you to say." *_Pfft_*

"Hey, it's the truth. You might think this trip a bit obsessive but I do have my priorities straight. You mean infinitely more to me than some sword."

The feelings in her heart stirred again. She silently cursed at his chivalry and tried to douse the burning in her heart by telling herself that he would have said that to anybody, but it did little good. She was determined not to blush again and so decided a quick change of subject was in order. Toph flung her half eaten fish on the ground and spoke.

"I'm tired of it anyway, too many spiky bones; Taking me forever to eat. Hand me a crab."

Sokka got up without a second thought; plucked a crab-on-a-stick from the ground and casually handed it to Toph before replying, "I don't think you'll have better luck with it."

"Oh I tend to like things with thick skin; it's probably why I like you so much."

That was not what she had hoped would come out of her mouth. It was not the subject change she had hoped for, but it didn't seem like an unusual thing to say. The situation was not out of her hands yet.

"After all, I've hit you enough times that you should be tough as leather by now."

He rubbed his arms and looked at the ground.

"Naw, if anything you've just made me tender."

Toph curled her toes at the response and decided to hunch down, hoping to hide her face by feigning focus on her meal. A gesture she knew but obviously didn't understand well, for a keen mind would remember her blindness. Sokka didn't notice, however, focused as he was on his new method removing crab-shell via his knife.

For Toph, removing the shell was proving just as much a chore as Sokka's earlier bemoaning had led on. She cracked a leg and tried to pull out the meat, but pulled too hard and received little for her effort. She tried digging meat from a claw but only managed to squish most of it back to where she could not reach.

The sight of Toph frustratingly peeling a leg's shell and trying to slurp out the meat was humorous for Sokka. He finds it rather cute when she tries to muscle her way out of every situation. Although he decided to step in once she had placed the crab on the ground with the intent of crushing it with a boulder. With the snaps and cracking of fishbone and crab shell under his boot, he made his way over, picked up the crab and sat next to Toph.

"Here, let me help."

"Wha- No! I got this!"

"I'm pretty sure your current plan is going to end in a pulverized crab."

"That's the point; eagles will crack turtle shells by dropping them on rocks. My plan will work the same way, just in reverse!"

"Maybe, but you'll also end up with a mouth full of dirt."

"Maybe I like the taste of dirt! I am the world's greatest Earthbender!"

"Nice try, but I'll take care of this."

"**I don't need to be waited on Sokka**."

Sokka sighed. He knew where this conversation was going.

"Toph I know you aren't helpless. This is neither about your blindness nor your noble upbringing. Remember how I was just struggling with my crab? Well this is just one friend helping another."

"And what about next time, hu? Will I be able to do that one on my own?"

"In this case I'm not too sure since I'm using a knife."

"Not! Good! Enough!"

"Then we'll figure something out when we get to that point."

"We'll figure something out **now.**"

"Fine, fine. Let me think for a second."

Sokka closed his eyes, took a deep breath in, and exhaled. After a few moments of quiet contemplation he opened his eyes and grinned.

"Alright Toph, I think I have a plan."

He placed one of Toph's hands on his own.

"Can you…"sense" me?"

"Um, yea."

"Can you "sense" the crab?"

"I can tap my feet and get a clear "view" of everything."

"Ok, so here is the plan. I'll carve and crack open this crab while you observe how I do it. Then you can form a rock-tool and do the next one by yourself!"

Toph's face held an expression of mild surprise and then admiration for the plan. She smiled and nodded in agreement. With that Sokka began to slowly dissect the cooked crustacean as Toph's hand lightly overlaid his, her foot rhythmically tapping the ground as process unfolded. Extra-cautious in his maneuvers, Sokka did his best to make sure there were no sudden jerks or heaves that we're usually bound to happen when trying to do such an operation without a table. He had soon carved the spider crab completely.

"Not too shabby, if I do say so myself." Sokka bragged in jest.

"Alright, but now I want to try." Toph responded.

Again to the cracks of fish bones and crab shells Sokka calmly walked over and picked up another roasted crab before sitting back down next to Toph.

"You sure are a messy eater."

"Shut it, Snoozles."

"Alright, well bend yourself a knife."

"Already have it right here."

Toph waved obsidian looking knife in her hands. Sokka leaned over and put his hand over Toph's and began to lightly guide her as she started on her own. She thought of shrugging him off to prove she could do it on her own, but for now she didn't mind his touch. His heartbeat was only a bit faster than usual, but then again so was hers. For now she wanted enjoyed the moment and let herself slip into a calm, silent, state.


	6. Feelings by the Fire

**Chapter 6 – Feelings by the Fire**

"Wait a minute…is that? Can't be!"

Sokka's remark snapped Toph back from whatever lull she was being pulled into.

"Wh-what is it?" She asked with mild startlement.

"Your knife, it looks like the same material my sword was made out of!"

Her heart was pumping fast again, far faster than it was before truth be told. How could she have forgotten something so simple!? Sokka said she needed a knife, so she formed her bracelet into a knife. The bracelet that was made from the meteor hunk Sokka had given her years ago. The bracelet she always had on her and now had to explain to her childhood crush why.

"W-well that's because it is."

"What!?"

"I made it from my bracelet…that I made from the chunk you gave me when you first made your sword."

"….oh! Oh…ok. That makes sense; I didn't realize you had brought it with you."

Toph began to breath slowly again. It looked like she was out of the heat. See? There is nothing awkward to explain. Everything is fine.

"So, um, do you always carry it around?"

_Curses! Curses! Curses! Why did he have to ask that!? Wait, why do I have to tell him? Just lie! Yea!_

"What? Um, no!"

_Ouch. What? Oh, yea, because lying is bad and my conscience won't be a team player and let me lie to him without feeling guilty!_

_"_I mean yes, or, sometimes! Most of the time? I don't know! Well, it's just, I mean…!"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down Rocky! I just asked-"

But it was too late. Toph stood up, clearly flustered by the whole ordeal. She would try to storm off to the airship, but she wouldn't get far.

"I got to get something from-!"

_*Crack, skek, skop* _

Were the sounds as Toph's feet moved through the refuse of fish bones and crab shells. Unlike Sokka however, Toph wasn't wearing any boots and even the calluses of the world's greatest earthbender weren't enough to completely stop what she was about to step on.

_*Shllk*_

Was the sound of a spine from the spike-tailed catfish sinking into her foot. She let out a scream of agony, but still tried to continue fleeing. With one foot she only managed to hop just beyond the campfire's clearing before tripping face first into the mossy ground.

"Toph! Toph! Don't move!"

Sokka made his way over. Pride would demand that she crawl a few more feet before turning around and ungracefully yanking the spine from her foot. Still she knew that there was no way she would get away with handling the situation on her own, especially with her latest display of medical caution. Sokka looked at the spine as Toph tossed it into the distance, then he looked at Toph, let his arms and head hang low, and sighed. Toph folded her arms and sighed as well.

"Alright, let's get you by the fire so I can see what's going on, **my** side of the fire of course."

Toph didn't say anything and Sokka didn't need to hear anything. She lifted her arm to wrap around Sokka and he knelt down to lift her up. Toph hopped a few step but Sokka soon decided to just sweep her off the ground and carry her rest of the way. Setting her next to the fire he knelt down examined her injured foot.

"I'm surprised the spine was the only thing that you managed to feel jamming into your foot, because what I'm looking at is disgusting."

Toph merely wiggled her toes and said, "I get around."

"Well the first thing we're doing is cleaning your feet. Luckily we already have some water boiled; I also have some medical equipment on the airship."

For the next few minutes Sokka buzzed about, pulling supplies from the ship and placing the pot water near the young-woman. Toph was still silent; she laid back and contented herself with twirling a few small stones. When all the necessary supplies was near Sokka lifted Toph's foot from the ground and with his finger began plucking away any small pebbles that had embedded themselves into the foot.

"It's kind of funny when you think about it. You use your feet to sense the world around you yet they are so tough and insensitive you can walk on almost anything without feeling pain. Almost being the key word."

He finished his first task and moved on to washing her foot. After dipping a piece cloth into the pot of warm water, he began to slowly rub away the dirt that he could.

"You'd have better luck getting the stink out of a cow-hippo pie than making my feet clean." Toph quipped.

"Then we'll just have to settle for "clean enough". This is a swamp and I don't want an infection setting in."

"I've had worse; I mean don't you remember- Uh-ah!"

Sokka looked up with an expression of confusion. After taking a split second to remember that Toph wouldn't be able to quickly discern the gesture, he asked, "Does it hurt?"

"Um, no, I mean kind of but that's not what I…never mind."

Sokka looked unconvinced but continued his task. He had moved on to Toph's toes and was now in the process of cleaning in-between them. As he did so, Toph tried and failed not to react. Every time Sokka would rub the cloth in between her toes, Sokka would notice Toph wincing and tensing up. At first he thought she was hiding discomfort, but then he caught it. She puckered her lips, smiled just a bit. Sokka grinned at the realization.

_She is ticklish! Oh I should have known this years ago…_

He decided to have a little fun. Nonchalantly he began to tease, slowing down his movements and wiggling his finger wrapped around the towel.

"Guh, mmm, FFF!" Toph sputtered as she tried to hold it in. Luckily she wouldn't have to hold in for long as Sokka was the first one to break.

"Ahahaha!"

Sokka let go of Toph's foot to hold his belly as his busted out in laughter. Toph, embarrassed by the whole ordeal, responded by kicking him in the face and making him double over.

"You think that's funny!?" Toph berated with a look a flushed fury.

"Yes, indeed, I do. As you can see by the fact that I am laughing, even if you did just **kick me in the face!**" He responded as he lifted himself back up.

"Well it's not!"

"Oh calm down. What's the big deal? So you're a bit ticklish. So what?"

"You didn't have to tease me like that."

"Ok ok, sorry. I think it's kind of cute."

"What?"

A stream of feelings came over Toph. On one hand that was something she never wanted herself to be described as. Yet she couldn't help the feeling of wanting to hear more of such "compliments" from him. However, she remembered her morning vow and quickly tried to convince herself such notions were folly.

_He didn't say that because he likes me._ She reasoned. _It's just a word, nothing more._

A look came over Sokka's face as if he just regretted his last statement.

"What I mean by that is, you're very tough, particularly your feet. So to find out they're ticklish is unexpected and therefore humorous." Sokka composed himself and continued.

"It's an unexpected but safe attribute that I happened to discover while in the process of an uncommon but safe activity and therefore…triggered chemicals in my brain that made me laugh. Its basic humor theory, scholarly stuff."

"Oh."

It was what she wanted to hear, even if she had to force herself to believe such a ramshackle statement.

_So then why does my heart feel like sinking into my stomach?_

The feeling of disappointment over the assurance that she was nothing particular in his mind couldn't be buried. Yet there was another part of her that crawled from the depths and in contradiction to what she urged herself to feel, comforted her with the potential that he was masking the truth.

"Anyway, the good news is your calluses did a good job at making sure the spine didn't get far. I'm still going to dress the wound of course."

"Of course."

Sokka pulled an herbal salve from the supplies he had brought down and lightly rubbed it into the wound. Toph winced a bit but showed no other signs of distress. Then Sokka began to wrap up the small injury.

"You're pretty good at this Snoozles. Ever thought of becoming a servant?"

"Can't say that I have."

"I think you'd make good foot massager at least. 'Course now my other feet are going to feel all awkward; one clean and wrapped, the other all…"rocky"." Toph waved her other foot in front of her companion.

"Well we're certainly not dirtying up your injured foot. I can, however, clean your other foot."

Every part of her was telling her something different. Again, she would usually completely reject the idea of cleaning her feet. She did, however, truly feel awkward in having one clean foot. She also didn't mind the thought of Sokka being her man-servant, for the humor of the situation, of course.

"Better get to it then." Toph said before slamming her other foot in front of him.

And so the young-man started to perform relatively the same task. He picked the pebbles and soaked the cloth. There was a moment nice silence between the two as a he worked.

"So." Sokka began as he cleaned the digits.

"What exactly was the reason you carried the meteor piece around?"

Now the silence was awkward, the seconds passing by certainly seemed longer to the both of them. Toph raised her hand and from other side of the fire pulled the meteor knife to her.

"Did you think it would help with our search for the sword?" Sokka meekly offered as an explanation.

"Yea!... well, not entirely." Toph was tired of lying, at least so much.

"It's the most interesting material I've ever encountered. Nothing in the world feels like it or is so, um, "bending friendly". It's been pretty useful as a tool so I always have it on me."

"Why was that so hard to say?"

_He would ask that, of course he was going to ask that. _

Toph had been hoping the answer would be satisfactory and that Sokka wouldn't ask the hard questions.

"Because it's kind of embarrassing I guess. I mean, you gave this to me **years** ago. To find out I still carry it around seems kind of…"

"Endearing."

"Hm?"

Sokka had begun to massage Toph's foot as he continued.

"To know you still find use in something I gave to you years ago is endearing. I'm glad to know I gave you something you found useful and am honored you still carry it around."

"Oh, well I guess it is, isn't it?"

"Certainly."

"Then I have only one more thing to add."

"And what's that?"

"A little more to the left."

They both laughed and all feelings of anxiety melted away. For a few quite seconds the two smiled at each other. Toph felt both their hearts at ease and she sunk into the enjoyment of Sokka's hand on her feet.

"Mmm."

"Feeling better?"

"Much better."

"Well I think we're almost done here."

Sokka wiped the tip of Toph's big toe. Then calmly knelt down and gave it a light kiss.

"Pretty as can be." He commented, but Toph would hardly catch it. Instead she was focused on what he just did. Unfortunately the gesture meant more to Toph's body than Sokka had realized. The lids of her sightless eyes opened wide and her heart began to pound. Toph was again at odds with herself, but desire prevailed.

"What about the other toes?" She asked as casually as she could muster.

Sokka looked perplexed for a moment but considered the request in good fun. He bowed his head again and gave each of Toph's toes a kiss before gently setting the foot down. That was it for Toph however. She began to breathe heaver as an urge within her body made itself known.

Reservations within her waned as the urge grew stronger. It demanded reckless action, but the earthbender would not listen, at least fully. She was bold not stupid. The time for denial was over, that much was true but the situation called for subtlety, something she wasn't very experienced in. She turned to face the fire and scooted a few inches back before stretching herself out on the grass, using her arms as a cushion for her head. Sokka soon followed suit, resting his arms on his torso.

"I'm glad I came on this trip Snoozles."

"I'm glad you decided to come too."

"It's just nice you know, to get away from it all. No whiney students, no adoring commoners, no suitors sent by my parents."

"I know what you mean. Breaks up the monotony, not that I'm complaining about where I am."

"Ya,ya. I just glad to have some alone time."

"Um, I'm here."

"I'm glad to have some alone time **with you**."

"Oh, yea, spending it with a friend is nice."

"Spending it with your best friend is better."

"Best of buds."

"Two of kind."

"Birds of a feather."

"Now and forever."

A hush ran over them. Toph could feel Sokka's heart beating faster, but she couldn't tell if such was a good thing; it was time to step it up just a bit. She moved one of her hands from under her head to the gap between them, fishing for his hand. Hesitantly he inched his hand closer to hers. Toph lost patience and brought his hand the rest of the way. There they laid still, Toph listened to the song of the swamp's inhabitants and Sokka gazed at the stars.

"It's a beautiful night." Sokka remarked.

"Yea, it is." Toph agreed, squeezing Sokka's hand tighter. His heart was racing now. It was time for her to try and seal the deal.

"But you're more beautiful." She said with clear sincerity.

"Yes, well." His hands slipped from hers as he began to lean upwards.

"The moon is more beautiful."

It felt like a spear had torn through her heart. Maybe it was subconscious, maybe it was intentional, either way the message was clear to her. Moon princess and a make-up wearing fan warrior still ensnared Sokka's heart. They still stood in her way.

_How fair is it that I have to compete with a dead girl!? One that Sokka is going to be reminded of every time he looks up? How is it fair to compete with a girl who clearly loves her career more than she loves him?_

She could feel it, the heat from her behind her eyes. She tried to suppress it but she didn't know how long she could hold them in. It was time to go.

"I'll take your word for it. I'm going to bed." Toph began to crawl away.

"Here let me carry you-" Sokka pleaded as hunched over to pick her up.

"I can get back to my tent just fine, thank you." Toph interject as she slapped away his hands.

"Alright, well, I'll clean up and see you in the morning."

"Yea, whatever."

Sadness crossed over Sokka's face. That which went unspoken was hurting him as well. He harbored feelings for Toph, of course he did, but there were other obligations. People he could not betray on the whim of his personal feelings. Honor came before happiness. Fidelity before feelings. Loyalty before love.


	7. Wulong Wadi

**Chapter 7 – Wulong Wadi**

"Let's take the day off. Seems counterproductive considering how much we still have to cover I know, but I would rather give your foot time to heal than risk infection."

Sokka was adamant with his proposal. Toph was to spend the day off her foot.

"I could sense metal while on the boat. Even if I have to wear boots I'll be able to spot your sword. So just give me your extra pair of boots and let's go!"

In her concentration the hunks of airship had stood out to her like beacons in the mist. She might rely on her "additional" sense most of the time but she was confident she could be useful today.

_After all, other blind people get along just fine. I can be competent human being even without my earthbending thank you very much!_

"Your foot still hurts. Look, you're walking with a limp."

"A small limp and I can take the pain. I won't be walking on anything if I have your boots."

"Even though they're waterproof I'm not too sure a sweat filled boot is the most hygienic place for an injured foot to be, plus you'll have no idea where you are! You'll just… be wandering into stuff the entire day!"

_Now that hurt._

"I am more than capable of walking without being barefoot Sokka! I've crawled in a forest, **alone**, when Zuko burned my feet remember?"

"Well, I guess that's kind of my point. You had to resort to **crawling**, using your hands to instead of your feet."

"That's because I couldn't walk on my feet! Not because I needed to use my hands."

"Did you or did you not use your hands as a substitute for your feet when that happened?"

This was an argument she was losing. She had to think of something, another reason it would be ok to continue the search. She didn't want to be stuck at camp all day, bored out of her wits.

"It won't be half as bad as you think. For someone who brags about being smart you aren't considering one key factor."

"And what would that be?"

"You."

"What?"

"You, Snoozles. As long as you're there you won't have to worry about me getting lost or hurt like you're my parents or something."

"I don't know…"

"Come on! It'll be like old times. We'll lock arms and romp around this place."

"Hmf…alright. But we're turning back at the first sign of trouble."

"If you see trouble just tell me where to chuck a boulder."

A bit over half an hour was spent preparing for the day's expedition. With a change of pants Toph was able to properly stuff Sokka's boots and make them work. Sokka stored any and all supplies he thought they would need in his rucksack along with another peculiar item.

"What's that in your other hand? A fishing pole? Some weird spear?"

She couldn't quite make out what it was Sokka was holding. It felt like a relatively long stick with some weird cloth or paper surrounding it.

"It's something we'll probably find useful considering the area we'll be searching today."

"Where exactly are we going?"

"West, to Wulong Wadi."

"What's a Wadi?"

"Um, I guess you could describe it as a gorge that occasionally fills with water. Though considering the time of year and what I saw flying over the area, there should only be a few pools."

As the sun crept up the two made their way west through the swamp. At Sokka's request, whenever the water was more than puddle Toph would bend a short, thin, bridge as to not risk getting her feet plastered in swamp sludge. They eventually made it past the trees and arrived at the entrance to the canyon. With no trees to obstruct it, the yellow sun now beat down on the pair.

"I knew this would come in handy." Sokka said as he undid the lace on the item Toph hadn't been able to identify. Putting his hand under its wrapping, Toph heard a clicking noise before Sokka swung it back over his shoulder and the two were suddenly under shade.

"An umbrella? Your big secret was an umbrella?"

"What can I say? I am a man of many mysterie-Ouch!"

Toph hit him in the arm before leaning closer in. He was a goofball, but he was her goofball.

The day went on and the two strolled through the gorge. Every so often Sokka would point out any odd fact he knew about the flora and fauna or make an observation about the geography.

"Hear that hissing sound? I'm not sure if you can tell but there is steam coming from several crevasses around the area. I've also seen steam coming from the pools we've passed, looks like this place is a hot spring."

It was like a dream a come true. A nearly identical scenario had played out in her mind only days ago when she thought of them in Republic City. It was a glimpse into all the future had in store for them, though the present felt good enough.

"We'll take have lunch here. I'll also change the dressing on your wound while we're at it."

Sokka had selected a place near three hot springs, two were small and nearly touching each others' edges while the largest one was located at the bottom of a slope several feet below. He took off his rucksack and began to take out a pick nick. Toph took off her boots and wiggled her toes.

"I don't suppose our break can also include a dip in the hot springs?"

"I would say **no**, since we don't know how hot these hot springs are or if they might contain some type of toxic substance or killer fish or-"

Toph had already begun her confident stride over to the pools.

"Toph…Toph don't do anything brash!"

Toph knelt down near the spring and dipped a pinky finger in a bit. After a moment she stood back up and declared, "Feels good to me," before striding back to the pick nick site.

Sokka sighed. "Well it looks like your limp has cleared up. I'll change bandages after your little swim, but if you get eaten or your skin melts off don't blame me!"

Toph stripped down to her undergarments and eased her way into one of the smaller pools.

"Ahhh. Come on in, waters fine!"

Sokka had his head down as he tried to busy himself with studying the maps he had brought.

"No thanks. I'm hot enough dry thank you."

"I remember someone saying hot springs could have holistic properties. Perhaps bathing in this could help heal my foot faster."

"Yes well, pardon me for not trusting the hearsay in your vague memory. Besides I'm not the one who is hurt. Maybe it's the exact opposite and you should get out of there right now."

"Nah, I'll take the risk. Besides it's nice to get all the swamp stink off me."

This little revelation did peak Sokka's interest.

"Well, maybe just a little while."

Sokka stripped down till only one article of clothing remained and entered the small hot spring that was several inches above and adjacent to Toph's. An aura of relaxation overtook him as hot water soothed his weary muscles.

"Feels good, don't it?"

"Sure does Rocky, sure does."

"Just watch out for the lava worms at the bottom."

"What!?"

"Just giving you a hard time Snoozles."

The two simmered down as the springs washed away the stresses of their journey. Mist swirled around as the heat of the sun competed with the spring for dominance. All in all, this had been the most enjoyable part of the journey yet. The opportunity that this particular moment presented wasn't lost to one Toph Beifong. She began to swim laps from one end of her small spring to the other.

"Hey Sokka, get over here, I want a race."

Sokka was relaxing at the edge where their springs came closest when he responded, "Mmm, no thanks, I'm good right here."

"That wasn't a request."

She placed her back to the spring's edge and let her harms relax outside the water. With a kick of the heel of her good foot she collapsed the earth that had been separating her and Sokka's pools.

"Ahg" * Glurp!* "AAH!"

Were the sounds Sokka made as the rush of water sent him spiraling into Toph's domain.

"Are you **crazy**!? I could have hit my head, broken a bone, drowned, or all three!"

"Cool it warrior of the **water** tribe. You need to have more faith in me."

"Hey I have faith in you. I have faith that you'll find my sword right? I just think you're a bit reckless."

"Well if you want me to continue doing that I want you to race me."

"In this small pool?"

"No in the big one."

"Ok fine, just be careful not to slip as you climb down."

"Who said anything about climbing?"

"Well it's a slope, I'm not sure how- oh boy."

Toph focused herself and balled both her hands into fists. Placing both fists in front of her, she drew them back in circular motion before thrusting them forward with force. Her efforts produced a half-cylinder impression from their pool to the large spring below. As the smaller body of water quickly drained into its new home Toph let herself be pulled by the rush and slid down with a thrill-seeking holler. Sokka had tried to brace himself but found every surface to be too wet and slippery, eventually being pulled into a less than graceful descent.

*SPLASH* *SPLASH*

The two landed into their new pool. Toph found her way to the surface first, laughing as she breached the water. Sokka quickly followed, spewing out water like a fountain before sputtering his disapproval.

"You are crazy! Do you realize how dangerous that was!? We could have had our skin scrapped off as we slid down that thing! You're blind! What if after diving you swam to the bottom instead of to the top? Come to think of it, you used to hate water! And who taught you to swim!?"

"Quit your whining, you sound like your sister."

Sokka's face became dejected at the comparison.

"Oh, that's low Toph, real low."

Eventually Sokka did calm down and agree to a few races across the spring. He was quite surprised when Toph beat him every time. As the two of them rested at the side of the pool, curiosity got to him and he decided to ask once more.

"So, seriously, when did swimming become your thing? I seem remember you having quite a different attitude about it before, especially considering that time you almost, you know, drowned."

Toph took a moment before answering.

"Well…I guess that's exactly why. Water was another place where I was helpless; another big void to be afraid of. It was another item that went on the big list of things to be minded while around Toph Beifong. It's no secret that I don't like to be pitied or feel weak. And when there is something I can do to change such perceptions, both real and imagined, I'll do them. In this case I learned how to swim, so now I don't fear water."

"Oh, I see. Makes sense."

A solemn look came over Sokka.

"I suppose I should say I'm sorry then."

"Hu?"

"Looking back I have been a bit…protective of you on this little adventure."

"Hm, maybe just a bit but don't sweat it."

"I mean I didn't like the idea of you even getting in a hot spring."

"Well these are small, shallow, hot spring. I mean if it was a rapid stream or the middle of a lake, someplace where I couldn't use my bending, your worrying would be a completely different-"

"I just want you to know I do think you're capable of handling yourself."

"Stop. Stop. You're getting all sappy."

"It's the truth. You don't need me coddling you."

"Hmf, well to tell the whole truth. Sometimes I might need somebody to pull in the reins."

"Someone like me?"

"More like only you, Snoozles."

The two shared a laugh in the hot vapor.

"In that case I'm going to insist we go soon. I'm not sure if the condition of "soaking wet" is good for you injury, which I still need to redress by the way. We also want to finish our search and be back at camp before it gets too dark."

"Alright, alright. Just give me another minute or two."

Toph poised both her feet on the pool's wall before launching herself outward. Sokka made some remarks but she didn't hear him over the water. As she drifted to the pond's center she let her mind wander.

This trip wasn't turning out half bad. They both might have grown up a bit, but he was still himself and she was still herself. What she had said she believed, and meant more to her than he probably knew. If she was to be coddled, there would be only one person with that privilege. As she floated in the liquid emptiness, she felt no fear, for if anything were to happen she knew who would rescue her. It wouldn't be Suki this time, it would Sokka.

With that knowledge she closed her sightless eyes, took a deep, calm, breath, and let herself sink.


	8. Musical Memories

**Chapter 8 – Musical Memories**

The rest of the day in Wulong Wadi was an exercise in futile diligence. No airships had crashed in the area so nothing competed for Toph's attention in finding the sword. However, it was not to be found within the gorge. As a consolation prize, more local wildlife would be had for dinner. For Toph, a rather large lizard from the wadi. For Sokka, a swamp squirrel. Nightfall had come again and again the campfire shined like gold amongst black coal in the swamp.

"Hey Snoozles, do you think this fire would attract a skunk bear?"

"I don't know, there might be platypus bears in the swamp but I think fire is more likely to scare them away."

"What about armadillo bears?"

"I think Gopher bears are more probable."

"What about bears?"

"Not a chance."

Tonight Sokka brought out something unexpected to pass the time. He held in his hands a three stringed instrument with a square base and a long neck. He sat down, crossed his legs, and arranged a plectrum in his right hand. After plucking a few strings he started to adjust their tension.

"Since when did you start playing an instrument?" Toph probed.

Sokka smiled a bit and replied, "Probably around the same time you learned to swim."

He began to play, at first merely repeating a few notes slowly, over and over. It wasn't annoying and it didn't appear to be leading anywhere, and it didn't need to. The patient melody hypnotized and relaxed, drawing no feeling but contentment.

Toph was lulled into a state of comfort by this. She let her arms rest in her lap and her breath slow. The youthful woman who compared herself to a mountain wasn't a fan of very many things considered "high cultured" and "ceremonial". The many archaic and frivolous rituals of nobility seemed to be performed only so that they may be held over the heads of less "cultured" individuals. Most customs were mind-numbingly boring and tedious to boot.

She had, however, always enjoyed music whenever it was played. She was blind not deaf, and appreciated an art form that could communicate with her the way it was meant to. Music could change her mood and state of mind. Music could envelope her being. Music could make her forget about everything.

Sokka started to interject some more notes into the song. He would go off of mini ballads before easing himself back into the rhythm. Sometimes he would speed up ever so slightly, sometimes he would slow down. Toph became curious.

"What Epic is this?"

"What?" Sokka asked back while continuing to play.

"Is this an Epic?"

"N-no, it's…uh, just kind of making it up as I go along."

"Oh."

"I, uh, can't say I know very many songs actually."

"Oh no it's fine as is, just wondering if I had heard it before."

"I guess you got to hear a lot of music back home."

"I heard enough."

"More frilly noble junk right?"

"Actually I quite liked that part of my life. I even learned how to play a few zithers."

"What are those?"

"Well…they're like long board with strings running across their entire length. It's usually not held. You pluck the strings to produce the sound…obviously."

"Suppose I'll have to hear you play some time."

Sokka continued to produce tranquil melodies. Eventually she moved herself to Sokka's side and lied down next to him. Memories started to surface, memories of her childhood. She remembered playing for her parents. She remembered playing for herself. Indeed she remembered her childhood fantasies and couldn't help but chuckle at them.

"What's funny?" Sokka asked calmly as he steadily strode onward in his endless song.

"I was just remembering some kid dream I had. I would run away for good and make it on the streets with my music, eventually hitting it big. By day, I would be the prodigy player from the streets. Playing the grand concert halls and such. By night…"

"By night?..."

"I would be The Blind Bandit of course! World greatest thief and earthbender! Rob from the rich, give to myself! Ha-ha! Course I could never get away with it. Parents would probably see through my alter ego on the count of the whole… blindness thing."

"Well I'd say how your life has turned out so far has been pretty fantastic. So don't get too down. You got fame, your parent's fortune, and of course, friends."

"Best of friends?"

"Best."

But she wanted more than just friendship, even if it was the best of friendships. Sadness crept in. It was beautiful moment as is. If anything, it felt like her desires were out to ruin what she already had.

"Sokka."

"Yea?"

"This is going to sound weird but, would you die for me?"

"Well that is a bit weird, but the answer is yes. I would die for all my friends."

"Death is easy then. Would you drop everything and go on the road with me?"

"I suppose that is a tougher question. With you Toph? Yes. Everybody else? No. But with you? Yes."

"So…"

"So…?"

"So why didn't you go with Suki?"

Sokka stopped playing his instrument. Toph immediately regretted asking the question. She could sense his heart becoming erratic. She didn't know what he would say. She just hoped it wouldn't be an explosion of anger.

"Wow. Um… That is a good question. I guess what I had on my plate at the time was a bit more important to me. I mean I love Suki, but the Harmony Restoration Project affects more than just our personal relationship. The entire world was still kind of at stake."

Sokka adopted a melancholy demeanor as he continued.

"I guess now I just never got around to it. Republic City and all. I expect Zuko's bound to visit every now and then, and with him will come Suki but...uh. I suppose both of us are committed more to our duties than each other."

The question Toph had to ask was clear.

"So why am I different?"

"I guess…our personalities just click. Our views and mannerisms complement one another. I guess there is an emotional high point between us. There are some passions and affections that never burn out."

She could sense both their heart rates increasing.

"I guess I feel like there is some spiritual…mythical… mysterious, cosmic force that binds us both; merging our destinies together! I guess what I'm trying to say is!…"

And with that there was a great pause. A terrifying point of silence. Their hearts pounding in frenzy. She awaited the moment.

"T-there's a difference between best friends and lovers. Y-you being friend, we can be ourselves more without having t-to worry like we would in a relationship. W-we don't have the obligations or responsibilities… S-so it appeals to the kid in me, I guess. Like the old times. We'd be best friends…running away…together."

That was it. It was over. She didn't want to play this game anymore tonight.

"I see…"

"Yea…"

"Well it's getting late."

"Yea, it is."

Toph stood up and walked past her friend. As she exited the light of the fire, she stood still and faced the darkness.

"Hey, Snoozles."

"Yea, Rocky?"

"Back when we were kids, out saving the world. I had the biggest crush on you."

"I know Rocky."


	9. Nocturnal Fantasies

Toph made her way into the stone structure she had erected to act as her tent. With a smack of her foot against the ground, she closed off the "tent" with another slab, leaving only a small opening above so she wouldn't suffocate. She collapsed on her sleeping mat and prepared for the tears to flow. She was sick of romance's game. The indirectness, the caution, the tears that she felt welling up; these were not the attributes of Toph Beifong.

She sighed and started thinking of ways of she could have approached all the situations differently. One in particular stuck out in her mind.

_Last night, when he was playing man-servant_. _Perhaps I should have been more seductive, puffed my chest out, put a little charm into my voice. Maybe my feet could have…wandered a bit._

She quickly dismissed the idea. Playing against her strengths was what had caused the current situation.

_I'm no seductress and I don't want to be. I should have done it my way. _

She replayed the incident, this time with what she fantasized of doing. Before Sokka could finish kissing her feet she tackled him to the ground. In the lull of being stunned by the sudden onslaught she set herself upon his stomach. Coming back to his senses, he asked if there was any particular reason why she had just lunged at him. With a smirk on her face, she simply announced her love for him and began to kiss him deeply. He was tense and confused for the first couple of moments but finally gave into his inhibitions, wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back.

_Ha! I didn't know I had it in me to be so sappy. _

Toph laughed at how melodramatic her own fantasies were.

_Better yet, he is waiting outside right now. He'll knock on the slab and I'll bend the door down to ask what's up. He'll stare at me before announcing __**his**__ love and leaning in to kiss me. Passionate love making will follow. _

She giggled again.

_And in the morning I'll say, "Oh Mr. Sokka, I do believe you've taken my virginity and now I may be with child. I do ever so hope you can afford a Beifong's bride price."_

Her self-teasing and fantasizing had successfully distracted her from the pain of his rejection. She hadn't cried like she thought she would and was feeling even better because of it.

In fact an urge was back. An urge, come to think of it, that had caused her to open up and create this mess in the first place. Frustration grew within her.

_Hasn't enough happened to kill the mood? Apparently not._

One part of her didn't want to acknowledge the feeling, let alone who it was for. The young-man had just stabbed her heart, yet it still beat for him. She couldn't have him tonight, but that didn't mean she wouldn't have him tomorrow. Like a mountain she was patient, enduring, and indomitable. Unlike a mountain the crush she had developed in her childhood never eroded.

Toph took off the layers of clothing that had become hot in the confines of her tent. She decided it was best not to let such urges linger, lest they lead her to brash actions again. Lying back down, her thoughts began to drift again to fantasy.

She imagined a night similar to this one. The fire was roaring, the liquor was flowing, and they were both laughing. Sokka would be leaning over with one arm wrapped around her shoulder. He would start to slur out his love for one Toph Beifong. She told him he was just drunk, but he shushed her and proceeded to give a speech about how he's always loved her and regrets never telling her till now.

"_Suki" _her mind called. Toph winced, buried the thought, and continued.

His heart revealed that what he said was the truth. He began to sob, but a kiss to his cheek was all that would be needed to shut him up. He kissed her back and she again returned the affection. The weakened reservations would collapse at that point.

Outside her head Toph's real hands began to slip between her thighs. A sensation from within grew stronger. Her fingers started to relieve the tension as the machinations of her mind became more pronounced.

_"Suki." _Again the named reverberated in her skull. She scowled, squelched the thought again, and pressed on.

The two had stripped off each others' clothing and had begun to explore their partner's bodies. Sokka probed her body with quick kisses, making his way past her chest, past her hips, and finally to her feet. There he proceeded to lick her toes.

The young-woman stopped fantasizing for a moment to wonder if the real Sokka found feet stimulating. She had been around plenty of rather uncouth characters by way of her personality, characters that won't so reserved in the subjects of their conversation as nobility. She had heard a lot or at least what she thought was a lot, but hadn't ever heard anything about feet and pondered if he would think her weird.

_Well maybe he'd been into it for my sake._

The sensations became more intense. Various forms of foreplay played out in her mind. Now she desired full contact. Sokka crawled over her, ready to take the final step. Then he became still.

_"Suki."_ he said. Toph became infuriated with herself; it seemed that he wouldn't have her even in her dreams. It didn't seem fair, but at that point it didn't matter. There is another aspect of a mountain, it could be imposing.

The day-dream grew lurid. She pushed her friend over; before he could set himself upright she locked him to the ground with three half rings of earth. She could imagine his heart rate becoming erratic as she licked and kissed his face. Her tongue penetrated his mouth to stop his incessant protests. The time had come.

Despite whatever he said, his body was willing and she was willing too. She could imagine his manhood entering her; it would throb at the knowledge of entering a forbidden lover. Her breath became heavy as she pushed herself against her struggling companion.

_"Yue. Suki. Yue." _The names drifted back into her mind. She shook them from her thoughts.

It was something they both wanted; she told herself she was just doing what was necessary. She held her hand against his mouth and told him the same. Her gyrations became more intense, her peak almost reached. His commitment to Suki was something she hated yet also something she loved him more for. It was loyalty she wanted for herself, a devotion she was determined to acquire and as soon as the deed was done it would be.

Finally the time had come. She panted heavily as the fantasy reached its conclusion. They would reach the point together and would be together afterward. Toph gave one final, hard, push and Sokka moaned in release. Toph's body convulsed as she reached her own real climax.

She felt relief; it felt good to get it out of her system. Unfortunately, she felt something horrible bubbling up from within her as the truth of what she had just fantasized about was no longer clouded by lust. Remorse passed over her as she tried to rationalize what she had just done.

_It wasn't real. I would never truly do that. Other people must think of such things too right?_

Even if it wasn't real she felt as she had just committed a horrible crime. Her mind traveled to a place of mortification. She wondered what tomorrow would bring, and if she could stand to be in his presence again.

On the other side of camp, a young man dealt with his own issues. He sat in his tent, his sweat stained clothing removed, contemplating what had transpired and what he should do. He loved Suki, love that didn't fade simply because some small amount of time had passed. He also loved Toph, loved her in a way he wish he didn't. The ways of the world seemed cruel now.

_What's that saying? Can't have your cake and eat it too?_

He understood why it so, it was a fair and balanced system; one man to every one woman, even as can be. Nature seemed pretty content to give out children in such a way, at least overall. It was selfish to desire more, greedy to think of other women. Insistently he reaffirmed these tenets as the truth. Yet the pain inside him did not yield to such truths.

He confessed to himself that what he felt was wrong, but a part of him knew it wasn't the whole truth of the situation. What he felt wasn't simply lust. Toph had revealed what had been unspoken truce between them. To have a relationship was something they had both obviously thought of. She had feelings for him and his actions had hurt her. He didn't want to, he wanted to please everyone involved, but that wasn't how the world worked.

He wondered how things would be now; wondered what the morning would bring. Would she still be his greatest friend, a friend at all? He sighed at the uncertainty of the future.

In the past he had ruthlessly stomped out any thoughts and feelings about Toph he deemed offensive to their current relationship and treacherous to his current lover. Brainwashing himself into dismissing such thoughts and pretending like he didn't have them. He felt evil when he thought of such things, the very notions poisonous. He needed to deny them again; he needed a way to reaffirm his love for Suki. The answer came.

He went outside and sat himself upright. Closing his eyes, he started to envision Suki. His hands drifted to his nether regions as he imagined her arriving at his doorstep as the sun descended behind the mountains. She stood there, proud and radiant before embracing him in a passionate kiss. With their lips still locked he pulled her inside and shut the door. Suki parted her lips from his for only a second to tell him how much he had been missed.

Sokka's imagination became a torrent of erotic actions and freed passions. The only true consistency from that point onward was the face of his lover. Yet a part of him sought to corrupt such imagery with another. Disruptive thoughts crept in his mind as he tried to stay focused on the task at hand.

_Does Suki still feel the same way about me? Has she remained loyal to me? Am I still in her thoughts? Does she even remember me?_

In his mind's eye Suki's body became shorter, her hair blacker, her eyes greener. Sokka fought back.

_Suki, __**Suki.**_

He repeated her name, trying to reverse what was happening. Yet it was every time Toph appeared from the mire of his mind that the greatest satisfaction was felt. He visualized Suki in her Kyoshi warrior garb and makeup, sitting atop a dressing table, waiting for him to enter her. As he did so she repeatedly declared her love for him.

_"I love you, I love you."_

It was what he wanted, what he thought he wanted. He could feel himself getting closer. It would be victory over the undesirable thoughts. There was an image being conjured, however. An image he sought to deny. He was there, at the peak, it was almost over. He imagined himself over his painted lover, but the white face wasn't that of Suki's.

_"I love you too."_

That was it, it was over. He had failed and felt shame. The moon's light reflected off the grass. He dared not look at the sky.


	10. Good Old Days

**Chapter 10 – Good Old Days**

The red dawn rose and duo rose with it. Breakfast was eaten in silence, packing was done in silence. Toph wasn't wearing boots today. The first words were spoken when Sokka made the day's destination known.

"To the north lies a forested area nicknamed the Wrecked Woods. You mentioned skunk bears? Well there is apparently something causing a ruckus in there."

The two trekked their way northward from the swamp. North was an uphill slant, causing the swamp to turn into a dry forest. The trees grew red leaves, as if stuck in eternal autumn. The fauna the two had grown used to seeing gave way to bull-frogs, many bull-frogs.

"You'd think they'd be more inclined to loiter where it's wet." Toph remarked.

The earthbender kept her senses open, but did not detect the sword. The deeper they went in the more silent it became, except for the croaking of frogs. Large areas of the woods became clear as fallen trees appeared crushed into splinters. Soon they had found large treeless paths which they decided to follow.

"I'm beginning to think a skunk bear would be a bit too mild for this type of destruction." Sokka asserted.

Eventually the two reached a large clearing of red-orange grass. It overlooked a cliff where the trees slowly receded around the bases of the stone pillars that marked the edge of the forest. In the middle of the clearing the ground's layout became peculiar. Rows of rings spread from the center, like a rock thrown into a pond.

"That looks odd." Sokka noted.

"Guess where I sense a piece of metal that seems like the size of your sword." Toph added.

"Of course." Sokka concluded.

The friends made their way closer to the collection of rings as they talked.

"It seems like your sword is buried a bit deep underground. What's even odder is that there is something large that it's attached to."

"So what are we thinking? Mythical beast?"

"Giant earth spirit?"

"Either way Aang's going to be made if we kill it."

"He'll get over it. Bring your weapons?"

"Club, boomerang, and just in case, some rope."

"Alright, so how do we want to approach this?

"I'm going to say…crush the thing using your earth bending before it even has a chance?"

"Efficiency over fun."

At the edge of the rings Toph spread her legs in a wide stance. She breathed in and spread both her arms parallel to each other. On the exhale she stomped both her feet and slapped both her hands together in an earthbending effort to crush whatever lay underground. After a second of silence Sokka inquired.

"Did it work?"

Only to be answered by the quacking of the ground that was strong enough to knock him off his feet. Toph responded with the obvious.

"Nope."

The center of the rings exploded in flurry of dirt and boulders as the beast within launched itself into the air. Toph quickly stopped the flying rubble from crushing the two as the creature made its earth quacking landing. What stood some yards away to the side of them was massive furry frog with two horns, a tail, swollen vocal sacks, and a rocky outcropping on top of its head where a black sword shined. With a loud and deep *FRRRROOAK* It announced it presence.

"Primordial Bull-Frog! Should know, did know!" exclaimed Sokka as he threw his rucksack to the wayside.

"Always humble. So how are we going to beat it?"

"Impaling it on rocks is always nice."

Toph needed no further instruction. She slid one foot backward and craned her arms forward. Like the launching of a bolt from a crossbow, her limbs threw themselves in the opposite direction while one foot remained grounded. Like she had wanted, a massive earthen spike jutted from the ground where the frog was standing on, or used to be standing on anyway. Once again it had launched itself into the air and made the ground shake upon its landing. This time it stood only a few feet away, eye sporadically fixed on their position.

"Distract it!" Sokka order as he dashed from Toph's side to flank the beasts.

Toph was already in action by the time the words had left Sokka's mouth. In rapid succession, she slide-kicked the ground to conjure boulders while her heavy punches sent them flying at the animal. Her projectiles would have little effect however, as they simply stopped midair before they made contact with their intended target and fell to the ground ineffectually.

_Great, an earthbending super frog. _

Toph thought to herself as she contemplated how to defeat the monstrously large amphibian. She wouldn't have long to think though as the alpha toad started to vibrate its swelled vocal sacks.

_Oh I know what the means._

She sensed a "glance" in Sokka's direction, only to wish she hadn't wasted the time. The water tribesman appeared to be preparing to lasso the frog in some way, but she couldn't spare the brainpower to fathom why. Quickly she summoned three rock barriers in front of her with a rhythmic stamping of her feet before digging her heels in and bracing for what was to come.

She wouldn't have to wait long as almost immediately afterward the frog launched its massive ball of mud and mucus at her. All three of her barriers gave within the same second but she hadn't been counting on them to hold, she only need them to give her time to focus and stop the blitz, or at least the part that would kill her. The trees behind her gave way to an onslaught of slimy dirt but she had successfully stood her ground. Now it appeared that Sokka was in action.

He had thrown his boomerang into the creature's eye. Unsurprisingly this had little effect on the creature, its thick eye ooze protecting it from any damage. This was not the end to Sokka's plan, however. Having successfully lassoed one of the dire frog's horns, he proceeded to climb up rope and swing to the croaker's eye as it tried to crush his comrade with its stored muck. It was about to pay dearly for ignoring him. Sokka brought up his mace and with a great strike, hammered his boomerang into the polliwog's eye.

That certainly got its attention. It immediately began sporadically short hoping over the field. Sokka was thrown around like a ragdoll before slamming onto the top of the foe's horns and holding on for dear life. Soon, however, it considered this to be an unwise endeavor as Toph had quickly begun to fill the clearing with stone spikes in the hopes that in its panicked motions it would gore itself. The toad king was not so easily beaten, however. With stomps and slaps of its webbed hands and feet, its own earthbending powers were used to reverse Toph's trap.

This gave the tribesman the opportunity he needed to fling himself from its horn onto its head. Atop the colossal bull-frog, Sokka quickly sought to free the sword from the beast's cranium. Standing forthright on the rock-calluses of the primal being's head he began to pull the sword out, much to the displeasure of his enemy. The beast violently swayed its head back and forth to try and throw him off.

While a cut to the side of a thigh was obtained from being knocked into the sword, the overgrown bull-frog helped its foe more than it hindered him in dislodging the sword from its skull. Blood started to ooze from the sword wound as Sokka came closer to releasing the sword from its bony sheath. The frog tried to take the human into its mouth with its prehensile tongue but slicked back its tongue in revulsion when it touched the sword.

With a final heave, Sokka fully freed the black blade from its resting place, causing great pain to the toad below. In response the furry amphibian launched himself higher into the air than before. Sokka was flattened against its head as it made its ascent. For a moment it seemed like he felt the power of an airbender, but his rides on a sky bison had prepared him better and sword in hand he latched on for dear life.

At the speed of light thoughts zipped through his head about how to survive the situation. The toad had certainly improved his chances of living but the force of impact might kill him. He decided it was best to release from his adversary as close to the ground as he could get and hope some type of wind physics would help him not die. Mere milliseconds later he released at what he thought would be a good time and hoped for the best.

Luckily the best was Toph Beifong, who in a work of earthbending prowess, was stone surfing in a desperate bid not to get crushed by the enemy she could no longer sense. She heard her comrade screaming as he fell to what may have been his death and decided to intervene. By the grace of skill, adrenaline, intuition, and pure dumb luck she projected herself and her stone board into the air and intercepted Sokka in a not so graceful catch that sent both of them tumbling to the ground. Not many seconds was spent moaning over whatever pain the two were in, however, as they were quickly on their feet and running for cover when the frog croaked again.

"Any ideas!?" Toph yelled in inquiry as they sprinted across the field.

"Well I think this thing was in hibernation, waiting for the rainy season! I can only imagine that the impact of my sword from so high up drove it deep into the creature's skull. A creature that was really in the wrong place at the wrong time! Judging by the tumor-rock-like things on its head and the fact it didn't eat me because it tasted the sword, I assume it allergic to it! Probably because it's from space! Still I have **no idea** what it eats and-"

"I mean about killing the frog!"

"Oh! Well I was kind of thinking that since we got the sword we could kind of just run for it!"

"…Ok!"

So they ran into the woods, a giant bull-frog on their heels. It rammed through the trees as fast and as fiercely as it could but it couldn't quite catch up to the two adventurers. There was funny feeling in Toph. One she tried to pin down as they ran for their lives.

"You know Toph!" *pant* "I know running away may go against the warrior in us but!" *pant*

"Look on the bright side! It's not like the thing is evil, just agitated a sword was in its skull!" *pant* "And I guess now a boomerang in its eye!" *pant* "Plus we won't have any explaining to do to Aang for killing a freak of nature. Ha-ha!"

With a stomping of its hind legs, a stone wall breeched upwards to halt the fleeing prey. Without even stopping Toph shoulder tackled through it with her own earthbending.

*pant* "Think that stunt gave us a few more seconds. Good job again Rocky!"*pant*

The feeling was familiar. It was like when she was a kid. It was like the good old days again. Adventuring with friends as something silly tried to kill them. This was something she liked, something she loved. She loved what she felt at the hot springs, but maybe this would do.

"Hey, Snoozles."

"Yea, Rocky?"

"You like what you're feeling right now?"

"I could certain do without the man-eating monster."

"But it's invigorating right?"

"I guess. Fallen log! Hu! What's your point?"

"I think this what you were talking about yesterday! About our connection!"

"Hu, uh, hey yea! your right! This is! It totally is!"

"And Republic City! Do you think it'll be like this?"

"Totally! Best friends together!"

_Best friends~ Together~ Running away~ Forever~!_

It wasn't too long before their warty, furry, friend broke off pursuit. Then it was a simple victory march back to camp. The wannabe kids laughed and talked on their way back. Toph had her hands behind her neck, lazily kicking up anything her path. Sokka had his sword, examining it in all its glory.

"Ah, feels great I tell you! A bit shorter than I remember but remarkably pristine considering the company it has kept!"

"Still wish you hadn't lost our lunch 'cause I'm hungry! It's sad I couldn't add mythical giant frog to the list of delicacies my danty noble tongue has touched."

"Don't worry, we found the sword pretty early today and should get to camp before nightfall. We can chow down on all the extra food I brought since we found it with days to spare! Even if we didn't kill King Wolly Wog, we still **won**."

"King Wolly Wog?"

"That's what I've decided to name our froggy friend. King Wolly Wog, ruler of the bull-frogs!"

"You mean like how you named that fire bending forehead guy?"

"You mean Combustion Man?"

"Ya that's the one. Didn't you decapitate him with your boomerang?"

"Er, if I remember correctly I hit him dead center in the forehead and then…he blew up. That reminds me, I need to get another boomerang now, **curses**."

This was nice, but she couldn't delude herself into thinking this would be the status quo. Some hammy lines and escapist fantasies were fine while avoiding death but that moment had come and gone. At its best it was one last hurrah before time and the world caught up with them and they would be in the same rut as before.

_Someone has to be the adult here, and for once it should be me. _

She had told herself she would not play these games anymore and it was time to live up to that. It was time for Toph Beifong to be Toph Beifong. She took a deep breath, straightened her posture, erased her smile, and began.

"Sokka, when we get back to camp we need to talk."

"Sure Toph, about what?"

"About our relationship."

"Um, what part of our relationship?"

"All the parts."


	11. The Final Trial

"I'm not sure I-"

"Sokka, I love you. Do you love me?"

"Of course I do!"

"Do you love me as more than a friend?"

"…"

"These are yes or no questions Sokka! Though I'm pretty sure we both already know the answers to them!"

"So then why are you asking!?"

The young man was thoroughly surprised and out of his element. He didn't know what to expect or what to do. He paced back and forth around the extinguished campfire. Toph had suddenly become stern and silent on their walk back to camp; her pace had increased with austere intent. In his mind the day had gone so well up until that point. It had seemed like an understanding had been reached and everything would go back to normal.

_What had happened? What did I say? What is she thinking?_

"I'm asking because I'm tired of this charade! I'm asking because I don't want to pretend like this doesn't exist anymore!"

They had eaten, if in an awkward silence. Sokka had tried to drum up the usual conversations, but Toph focused on the task ahead. She had sat near the blackened circle of ash, stones, and sticks that had been their fire and waited till he had finished packing up the supplies.

"Well maybe I'm not! Maybe it existed for a reason. Maybe!... I had hoped it could be like when we were kids…"

"But we're not kids anymore Sokka."

The young man sighed in somber acceptance.

"I know…and it's time to grow up."

He turned to look at his best friend. She didn't look back, rarely did. She sat there, staring vacantly at charred ground.

"Toph, I love you more than anyone else in the world but I have also promised myself to another. By my honor I cannot break this sacred trust, even at the expense of what I truly want."

"Oh come off it, you sound like Zuko! Since when did having honor mean withholding your true feelings for some estranged sense of loyalty to someone who is neither your wife nor is committed enough to even remind you of her existence for years on end!"

"You know it's more complicated than that!"

"Is it really?"

"Yes really! Suki saved my life; she saved both our lives on multiple occasions! I can't just abandon her."

"Suki's was my friend too, still is, but you know what? So what if she did? That's what heroes do! I saved your life before! In fact I did it again today! Aang saved your life! Your sister saved your life! Some random guy in a prison saved your life! We owe our lives to dozens of people, none of which did it on the condition that we swear the rest of our lives to them!"

"But I have a relationship with Suki! Are you going to assume I'm dead and buried if a hunting trip happens to run long?"

"It's been **years**! For all we know she could be married with kids and you're just holding on to a phantom relationship because you're afraid!"

"Afraid of what, Toph!?"

Toph was silent for a moment. She stood and turned to face her friend, her head bowed to the ground, her voice becoming compassionate.

"Afraid of losing someone you let too close to your heart…You're afraid of letting her go because it would also be letting go of Yue. You're afraid of being with me because it would feel like you'd be betraying Yue again."

That struck a chord, a deep, painful, chord. Sokka remembered how he felt when Suki had tried to kiss him for the first time. He had pulled away from that kiss, it had felt like such would tarnish her memory and insult her spirit. She had even tried to apologize for it, but he hadn't let her. It wasn't Suki's fault then and it wasn't Toph's fault now. If anything it was his fault, a fault for having loved them back. Sokka closed his eyes.

"The last thing Yue said to me after she sacrificed herself was that she would always be with me."

"She is with all of us Sokka. Her sacrifice **was for** **the world**, not just you."

He knew this was true. She died for everyone. Yue was a woman of duty and obligations. Even if she was still alive it wasn't likely that they would be together. For her people, she would have married someone she did not love nor loved her back. The time he had spent with Yue was exceptionally short in comparison with both Suki and Toph. Yet she had died loving him. It had felt wrong not giving the same in recompense.

"Toph, I want to be with you… but I have these feelings of dept and regret and remorse and I will not burden them on you!"

"Then let them go! Just! Let! Them! Go! They help no one! They honor no one! The only thing they cause is pain!…to everyone…"

Silence befell them both. Sokka stood, staring at the woman he wished to love. At a stern pace he walked to the woman he loved and embraced her tightly.

"The last thing I want to do is hurt you. The last thing I want to do is let you go. But if I let them go, will I one day have to let you go?"

Again the sounds around then became inert. Toph moved her arms around him and embraced him tightly.

"If I am gone. If I go on before you. I want you to let me go. I want you not to cry. Your pain does me no good. Toughen' up and get on with it."

They held each other for some time. Sokka softened his squeeze, making sure not to suffocate his lover. Toph listened to the beating of his heart, relaxed by its steady rhythm.

"Hey Rocky."

"Yea Snoozles."

"I love you."

"I know Snoozles.


	12. A Stroll Through the Park

"I know it doesn't seem like it would be an intense topic for debate but let me tell you. Trying to get everyone to agree on the specifics of Republic City Park turned into the **longest** and most **frustrating** discussions I have ever been in since Republic City began! I mean it's a park, seems simple enough right? Nature has practically done all the work for you!"

A notable pair of people was walking through the newly built park in Republic City, a city councilman and the chief of police. The influential couple strode at a steady pace, arms locked. One using his free arm to point and snap his fingers every which way, his mouth prattling on about the horrors of administration; the other nodding in vague agreement with a coy smirk on her face.

*snap* "That hill over there? Three days of arguing! Three! How is that even possible or better yet, my problem? Well it gets to be my problem as people argue their way up to me! Should I decide where every single tree is planted as well? Turn the entire thing into a bender practice ground as much as I cared by the end of it!"

"I might have liked that."

"Yea, well if it comes up again I'll do that. You can consider it an early birthday gift."

"Birthday hu? I might consider it another gift by then."

"What?"

"Oh nothing."

The sun shined brightly, claiming victory over the scant clouds. The couple eventually crossed a bridge that was connected to a small island. This island stood in the middle of the park's intersecting streams. Sokka paraded to the water's edge and put both hands on his pelvis as a prideful grin swept across his face.

"Now this place I am glad to have given the go-ahead to. It's in the middle of it all. From here you can see the park's beauty in every direction! Pardon the expression of course!...Something on your mind Toph?"

Sokka turned to see his girlfriend right where he had left her. Still smiling, she had both hands crossed behind her back and was swinging her hips back and forth.

"So it's a pretty romantic site?"

"Er…Yea."

"Guess a lot of pretty memorable moments in people's lives are going to happen here?"

"Uh, Yea sure."

"Well…"

"Well…uuuaahappy anniversary! And here, hoho, I thought you had forgotten and it would be a surprise!"

Toph began to laugh.

"No! No! I have reservations at the city's fanciest restaurant and, uh, its seediest bar! And front row seats to… everything that's happening tonight! And-"

"Little bit girly to be remembering anniversaries don't cha' think?"

"Uh-hey! I'm very masculine, you know that!"

"Ha! Then why am I the one having to do this?"

"Having to do what?"

With a spring in her step, she jaunted down to Sokka's side, keeping her hands behind her back.

"You said this place was beautiful. I guess that means it's also…colorful?"

"Um, yea. It's pretty colorful."

"Well as I hope you know by now I can only "see" one color. "Pardon the expression"!"

"Yea. I mean **scientifically** speaking it's the lack of color-"

"**Sokka.**"

" Sorry, go on."

"A lot of folks like do this with rare and… "colorful" things but I was thinking we could be a bit different. It might not be colorful but I think it's certainly rare enough!"

"Toph what are you-"

She put one of her fingers over his lip to shush him.

"Shhh. Don't ruin it Snoozles… Ahem!"

Toph cleared her throat and got on one knee.

From behind her back Toph revealed a small jewel box. She lifted the box up with one hand and with the other opened it. Inside was a betrothal necklace made from a part of her meteor bracelet, and on it was carved the flying boar of the Beifong family.

"Sokka…" She led on with quite a bit of confidence.

"Will you marry me?"


End file.
